Ponder(verb) to weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully; to consider attentively

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Whew, Close Call 2014 RC

This Sunday, September 7, a pesky little asteroid will pass within 40,000 Km. of Earth – essentially within the ring of orbiting Earth satellites. An estimated 20 meters across, and miraculously not expected to collide with said satellites – freshly christened 2014 RC, reveled her intentions to astronomers August 31. A polite gesture, certainly one to remind us cosmic surprises are far from occasional.

Now that 2014 RC has introduced itself, astronomers will be able to track an orbit – gravitational pull is unavoidable, 2014 RC will be back. Twenty meters might not sound like much – don’t be so sure. At the right angle and speed, a space rock this size could make for a very bad day.

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3 thoughts on “Whew, Close Call 2014 RC”

When I was first learning to drive truck they made us do the math on the cascading effects upon impact of weight and speed. One thinks, 80,000 lb truck — not a big deal. 60 mph — not a big deal, but do the math and little deal becomes big deal in a metal crunching and life ending way. This bad boy is a bigger threat than many might like to think about, and as you say, these things have a way of returning.

It’s funny that we are so civilized and sophisticated but most of the time we are unaware of myriad seemingly happenstance circumstances that would change life on this little round ball forever.

I wonder if that was part of the appeal of the movie franchise Men in Black — sometimes not knowing is ‘easier.’ 🙂